The Marauders And Lilly Read The Future
by Angelcataanna
Summary: The Marauders and Lilly read the Harry potter books. Follow the story and see what happens.update is coming soon...
1. Chapter 1

The Marauders And Lilly Read The Future

Lilly was on her way to the Potters because as head girl she and the head boy had to work together to make plans for next year.

"Hey Lilly." Said James.

"hey" she replied

"

Come on." she was dragged in to James room by all the Marauders

"We, The Marauder Gave a hand of friendship to you Lilly Tiger Evens."

All of them said.

"I, as leader hope you won't miss use this trust."

James said.

"I, the hot one hope you use this great honor Wesley."Sirius added.

"I, the smart one hope you take this honor with pride."Remus put in.

"I, the lookout hope this will be the best moment of your life."Peter said in a quit vices.

"We say you Marauder now."They all said.

"Okay what this about?"Lilly just had to ask.

"We have future books!!!" They all yelled.

Lilly looked shocked."Here's a note."Remus hand it to her.

_I hope you enjoy the books. Don't jump to beating up people._

_Help change what need to be and what has to my love from the time mistress._

"Okay lets read." She said as she took the book.

**_Chapter One- The Boy Who Lived."_**

"Nice title" Sirius and James muttered together.

_**"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."**_

"Don't think it or say it." Remus told Sirius.

"Fine, James." Sirius called

''Your welcome." James said as he high five Sirius.

_**"They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense."**_

"Hey what nonsense."Peter asked.

"Shut up and find out you rat." Yelled a vice out of no where they looked around than went back to reading.

_**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills."**_

"Wow so cool." Remus whispered sarcastically to James watch cause them all to laugh and Lilly giggled.

_**"He was a big beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blond and had nearly twice the amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors."**_

"Hmm." Remus said with a knowing look at Lilly.

_**"The Dursley's had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere."**_

"Wow I just know I'm going to like him." Sirius said sarcastically.

_**"The Dursley's had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if any one found out about the Potters. Mrs, Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister"**_

"OH Lilly," Remus said.

"Don't you think about it or anything like that aging." Lilly Snapped as Remus laugh evilly.

"What?" The others asked.

_**"But they hadn't met for several years in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing-husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be."**_

"That's mean they as cool as cool can be." Sirius stated as he a James high five .

_**"The Dursley shuddered to think what the neighbours would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursley's knew that the potters had a small son, too, but they had never seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that."**_

"I still say it her."Remus said.

"It not so shut up." Lilly muttered.

"Hey the Potters are awesome." Yelled Sirius.

_**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, grey Tuesday out story starts,there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair. Non of the noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window."**_

"So much like a Muggle." Peter said.

"Care full you almost sound like a deatheater." Remus stated as Lilly moved as far away from Peter as she could and Peter blush.

_**"At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive. It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar– a cat reading a map"**_

"It's makes me think it could be McGONAGALL!!!" Sisius and James were jumping up and down.

"_**As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help notice that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks. Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes — the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eye fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than her was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak!"**_

""Gee I don't know maybe because he's a GOD DAMN WIZARD YA MORON!"Peter said as Lilly move behind Remus this time.

_**"The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt — these people were obviously collecting for something...yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills."**_

"....." There all just look at each other.

"Hehehe." Remus laugh.

_**"Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office an the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people sown in the street did; they pointer and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at night time. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he though he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery."**_

"Okay why so many letter?" Asked Peter.

"If you let me read we'll find out!!" Lilly shounted.

"Hey he kinda like James when every Lilly's around." Sirius joked, James blushed and Lilly looked shy for a moment.

_**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**_

_**"The Potters, that's right. That's what I heard —"**_

_**"— yes, their son Harry —"**_

"Wait, people are talking about me and my son!" Shouted James.

"oh god he going to get a bigger head than he already have." Lilly laugh at this.

"My god Lilly just made us Marauders laught." Sirius ponited out as he put an arm around Lilly.

"My lady I do say your becoming a Marauder." Remus put in as he to put an arm around her.

"Oh my God, Places help me." She said in a vice fulled with fake shouck as they all laught together but James who didn't get it.

''Hey being a Marauder is awesome!" Yelled a half piss James, and this made Lilly, Remus, and Sirius laugh harder.

_**"Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it. He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office , snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking... no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called potter who had a son called Harry."**_

"So I'm godfather right?" Sirius asked.

"You'll have to asked the mother." Remus said shly as he looked at Lilly witch who hit him on the head.

_**Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. "**_

"Who in they right mind would name they kid that."Peter asked.

"You forgot this is Potter we'll talking about here, and he is never in his right mind."Lilly answered him which got Remus, and Sirius laughting they asses off and Sirius highfived Lilly.

"Hey the only time I'm not in the right mind is when Lilly around." James shouted and looked started and quickly went back to reading.

_**"There was just no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her — if He'd had a sister like that...but all the same, those people in cloaks.****He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o' clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door."Sorry," the grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few second before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passers-by stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today!"**_

"Why." Peter asked.

"Shout the hell up!"the vices yelled aging.

"hmm okay books show up and now a vice start yelling at Peter."Remus and Lilly both said at the same time they looked at each other and start laughting.

_** "Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like your self should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"**_

_**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off."**_

"Wow he gone." They all said together and all looked at each other and giggled.

_**"Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw — and it didn't improve his mood — was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes."**_

"I love imagination." Lilly and Sirius said together and they high five each other.

_**Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly"**_

"RIGHT like that's gonna work on McGonagall!" Sirius and James said sarcastically.

__report on the evening news:

_**Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**_

_**Mrs. Dursley had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Shan't"). Mr Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**_**"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nations's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changer their sleeping pattern." The news caster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be anymore showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**

"Oh ha ha very witty!" James muttered darkly, Lily poked him and hissed at him to shut up.

_**"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that. But it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain that I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars."**_

"Shooting stars huh."James mormabled witch him look from Lilly."Right no shooting stars." He quickly added.

Lilly smiled as she was thinking to herself They not that bad I really enjoy they competently and went on reading.

_**Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early — it's not until next week folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And whisper, a whisper about the Potters...Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er — Petunia,**_

"Oh Lilly!'' Called Remus.

"Fine it might be her but I want my name first."

"Petunia huh, I know that name some where."Sirius said with and knowing smirked.

"don't you start up to." Lilly cryed.

"So that's what Remus and you been going on about?" Sirius asked

_**"dear — you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"As he expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister."**_

"That low even for her." Lilly whispered.

_**no," she said sharply. "Why?""Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls...shooting stars...and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today...""So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley"Well, I just thought...maybe...it was something to do with...you know...her crowd."Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dare tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." he decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could. "Their son — he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?""I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly."What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?""Harry. Nasty common name, if you asked me."**_

At this both Lily and James growled but didn't say anything.

_**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."**_

_**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did... if it got out that they were related to a pair of — well, he didn't think he could bear Dursley's got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind...He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on — he yawned and turned over — it couldn't affect them...How very wrong he was.**_

_**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed in the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all."**_

"ITS MCGONAGALL! I BET YOU IT HER." James shunted.

"On with the story." Lilly said forcefully.

_**"The cat's tail twitched and it's eyes like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled books. His eye were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice."**_

"I BET YA IT'S DUMBLEDORE!" James and Sirius cried together. "NO I BET IT'S HIM NOT YOU" they pointed to each other "STOP COPYING ME!"

"Should we stop them,?" asked Lilly a little frankout.

"No they should stop by now any ways." Remus reasure her and they did.

_**This man's name was Albus Dumbledore."**_

"Ha TOLD YOU! NO YOU DIDN'T, I DID!"

"DON'T START THAT UP AGING!" yelled Lilly.

_**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again — the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyes Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**_

"HA I TOLD YOU. NO YOU DIDN'T. YES I DID. NO IT WAS ME!" Yelled Sirius and James.

"silencio" Remus mutter

"Thank you" Lily signed, "finally we can continue"

_**"He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather sever-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled. "How did you know it was me?" she asked."My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**_

And Sirius and James bust up laughing.

_**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day." Said Professor McGonagall**_

_**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**_

_**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily**_

_**"Oh, yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no — even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head at the Dursley' dark living -room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls...shooting stars...Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent — I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle he never had much sense."**_

_**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**_

"Eleven years!" "WOW" Yelled Lilly, Remus, and Peter.

"I_** know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in muggle clothes, swapping rumours."She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?""It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop.""A what?"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of.""No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone — ""My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense — for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort. Professor McGonagall flinched**_

"I want a lemon dope now." Lilly said as she want though her stuff and pulled one out and Sirius just looked at her.

_**"But Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name.""I know you haven't," said professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know-oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of. "You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have.""Only because you're too — well — noble to use them."**_

YAY! NOBLE DUMBLEDORE!" Yelled everyone but James and Sirius who just high-fiveing each other because they couldn't talk.

_**Remus removed the spell on them and Lilly went 's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs.""Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumours that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not they're saying," she pressed on,**_

Remus and Sirius looked over her shoulder.

"I know it Lilly is misses Potter." They yelled.

"What?" Said James he moved to see the book."YES!" and kiss Slaped him.

_**Is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are — are — that they're — dead."**_

They all sat there in horror looking at the book."Wow two of my bestfrineds...are dead." Said Remus.

"No James and Lilly, I can't liive without you two."Sirius said giggled alittle in between sobs.

"I never thought I hear Sirius Black say he couldn't live with out me."Lilly's small replied Everyone smiled.

_**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped."Lily and James... I can't believe it...I didn't want to believe it...Oh, albus.**_

"Guess she does have a soft spot for you Prongies!" Sirius joked half-heartedlyJames smiled.

"Well if he started dating me than he had to have gotin his hand on right."

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know... I know..." he said heavily**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But — he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemorts power somehow broke — and that's why he's gone."**

"He couldn't kill our baby James!" Lilly yelled as she glumped James and kissed him full on the lips.

Sirius wooped and Remus cheered. "Way to go Prongs,Prongs jr is a hero."

"**Dumbledore nodded glumly."It's — it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done...all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding...of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?""We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."Professor McGonagall pulled out a laced handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**"**Yes"-said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me **_**why **_**you're here, of all places?"**"**I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."**

There was an eerily silence then…

'"WHAT? WHAT DOES HE THINK HES DOING?"

"GIVING MY SON TO PATUNIA TO LOOK AFTER? IS HE NUTS?"

"WHERE AM I? WHY AREN'T THEY SENDING HIM TO ME?"

"SOMEONE TALK SO SEANCE INTO THE MAN? HE'S CRAZY. I'M TELLING YOU THIS BOOK IS WRONG."

"HE CAN NOT PUT HARRY IN THERE CARE!!!"everyone yelled together

"**You don't mean — you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore — you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son — I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"**"**It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."**

"A letter?" Lily asked.

"**A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous — a legend — I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry potter day in the future — there will be books written about Harry — every child in our world will know his name!"**

"Maybe it's a good thing…" James and Lily said.

"Yeah, I mean who would want all that addition when he won't remember it."Sirius said.

"**Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boys head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"**

"Go Dumbledore the smartness man alive! Cheered the Marauders.

"**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallow, and then said, "Yes — yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it."**

"Padfoot if Harry under that cloak I'm killing you." James said.

"Why not warmtail?" Sirirus asked.

"Because he got yelled at by the vice from no where." Lilly anwsered for James.

"Flower got a point."

"Flower?" Lilly asked.

"It your Marauder name." Remus said and Lilly smiled.

"**Hagrid's bringing him."**

"**You think it — wise — to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?**

"Hey I would trust Hagrid with my life!" James and all the Marauders said hotly.

"**I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore****."**

"Spooky"

"**I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor mcGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to — what was that?"** **A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky — and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

"I WANT ONE,I WANT ONE!" Yelled a ever ecstatically hyper Sirius.

**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild — long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash cans lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

"Harry!"

"**Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"**

**Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've go him, sir"**

"YAY!IT MINE!" Sirius shanted.

"**No problems, were there?"**

"**No, sir — house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."**

**Dumbledore and professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his fore head they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lighting.** "**Is that where — ?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

"**Yes" said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."**

Lily started crying. She tried to stop because she didn't feel like crying in front of the Marauder but instead of teasing her, James hugged her and Sirius told her to let it all out while Remus handed her a tissue. At that moment Lily found that the Marauders were not that bad. Not that she'll ever tell them all but Peter who was laughting at her witch got him hit by everyone.

"Thanks guy." She whispered from James's shoulder

"**Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

"**Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground"**

They all laughed at that.

"That is his favourite story to tell isn't it." Sirius said wiping the tears of laughter from his eyes and Lilly's smiled as she giggled and James Remus and Sirius all highfived each other.

"**Well — give him hear, Hagrid — we'd better get this over with."**

**Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursley's' house**

"**Could I — Could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog."**

"Aww It Padfoot and Moony.'' James said witch got him two hits in the face.

"**Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"**

"**S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, Taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it.** **"But I c-c-can't stand it — Lily an' James dead — an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles — "**

"**Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself. Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle, hagrid's shoulders shook, professor mcGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out."**

"I hate it when his eyes do that." Sirius,Remus,James,and Petter all mrunber together.

"**Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."**

"**Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "Ill be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor Mcgonagall — Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**

"**I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply**.

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

"**Good luck, Harry" he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing thing to happen. Harry potter rolled over insider his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley...He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: 'To Harry Potter — the boy who lived!' **

"That it guys." Lilly said as she cried and James warped his arms around her and whispered that everything going to be alright, Remus pat her back,and Sirius hold her hand.

"Guys dinner ready." Yelled a pretty vices as a woman with long red hair and ocean blue eyes open the door."Oh, Who is this young Lady?" Lilly blushed as she stood up.

"I'm Lilly Evans and you must be ."

"Oh you'er the ever famous Lilly Evans who took my sons heart as soon as he saw you? Now I know what all the forest is about,and my son knows how to pick them James I just love her. She'll have to stay for dinner" Nancy potter said as Lilly blushed."OH Bob come meet the famous Lilly Evans." Nancy yelled and a guy walked in.

"No way, is this really the one and only Lilly Evans? I'm Bob Potter Jame's father,James talk about you all the time,your staying for Dinner right?" She blushed some more as Sirius,Remus and James all hugged her with an yell of "Yes she is!" Bob and Nancy smiled at this.

"It good to see the boys so happy,Lilly you really need to come over your mother called she wants you home your one of the most polite girls I ever meat,You most be hand girl right? form what Remus tell me your the smartness witch in your year.I hope you keep our boys in line" Nancy said.

"I really like your house Bob and Nancy,and yes I was made hand girl but I'm not really the smartness,and I'll try to keep them in line."Lilly polity replied.

"Oh, James you hang on to her."Both Nancy and Bod said. that night Lilly had dinner with the Marauders and the Potters and she never felt more left them with a see you tomorrow.

___________________________________

AN:Some of this comes from Twitch101..Twitch101 is really a good writer chick this person's story out. ... Be nice to me I'm a newbe.


	2. Chapter 2

The Marauders And Lilly Read The Future

The next day Lilly quickly got dress so she could she could see James and ran all the way knocked once and Mrs. Potter answered the door with a smile and an warm hello and an hug witch Lilly hugged back."Hello Nancy you look good today." Nancy in her long blue dress that match her eyes, blush as she replied.

"Oh Lils thanks the boys been waiting for you.I've never seen them all up so soon,I use to have to wake them all up more than once a day I walk into the room wake them up for the first time and they were already awake, and I asked why and than Remus said it because you was coming over today and they wanted to be up and ready for when you got here."Nancy laugh at the end why Lilly was blushing and Sirius, and James all come running down with a yell of "LILLY" and hugged her.

"We can read now!!oh Lilly how I missed you so."Sirius replied.

Lilly laugh"I missed you to,And did I just hear Sirius saying he wanting to read?" Everyone laugh as they all ran up to James room.

"I'm reading today."James said as he took the book.

_**Chapter two "The Vashing Glasse" **_

"Wow James cool name." Sirius said.

"I know right." "_**Nearly ten years had past since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but privet drive had hardly changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed. Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different coloured bobble hats - but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle, on the roundabout at the fair, playing games with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother. The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house too."**_

"I don't like the sound of this guys." Lilly said.

"Me ether Lils." Remus put in.

"Hey it could be good."

_**'"Yet Harry potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long. His aunt petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice which made the first noise of the day. 'Up, Get up! Now!'**_

"That no way to wake my son up Petunia"Lilly angry said to the book.

"Wake him up nicely." Remus yelled.

"Damn it, I should know by now not to go against Moony and flower." Sirius whispered.

_**Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again. 'up' she screeched. Harry heard her walking towards the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the cooker. He rolled on to his back and tried to remember the dream he had being having. It had being a good one. There had being a flying motorbike in it he had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before.'**_

_**HIS aunt was back outside the door.**_

'_**Are you up yet?' she demanded.**_

_**Nearly,' said Harry."'Well get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect for Duddy's birthday.'Harry groaned**_

"Wow from what Nancy told me you three are the same way in the morning." Lilly giggled as the boys look down.

'_**What did you say?'**_

_**His aunt snapped through the door.**_

'_**Nothing nothing…'**_

_**Dudley's birthday – how could he have forgotten? Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed.**_

_**and, after pulling a spider off one of them, put them on. Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept.**_

"Tell me, Jamesie-dear you just read that wrong." Lilly's deadly whisper.

"Uh Prongs for our shack tell her you read it wrong." Remus and Sirius yelled.

"Nope sorry Lilly and guys, but if it makes you feel better we as marauders could always prank her."James carefully replied.

"I'll like that a lot." Lilly replied with an evil smile on her face

"_**When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had got the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike. Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise Unless of course it involved punching somebody. Dudley's favorite punch-bag was Harry,"**_

"Prongs,I think us Marauders need to do something about your in laws.

"Padfoot your right.I'm in how about you Moony,flower?"

"I'm in to Prongs, padfoot,and what would you two do with out me? How about you flower" Everyone turn to look at Lilly.

"I'm in guys, I'm not happy how they treating my son." Lilly said as they cheered. "For Harry."

"_**but he couldn't often catch him. Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast."**_

"_**Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age."**_

"_**He looked even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was. Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair "**_

"Just like his father!" said James proudly.

"_**And bright-green eyes."**_

"Like Lily! Go Lily!" Sirius high-five Lily Making everyone else smile.

"Let's see my looks and Lilly awesome brilliant eyes he got to be the best looking kid in the universe." James proudly shouted as he wrapped an arm around her.

"_**He wore round glasses held together by a lot of Sellotape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose."**_

"_**The only thing Harry liked about his appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead which was shaped like a bolt of lightning. He had had it as long as he could remember and the first question he could ever remember asking his aunt was how he had got it.**_

_**"In the car crash when your parents died,"**_

"No way would Lilly or James die in a car crash." Remus shouted.

"_**she had said. "and don't ask questions." Don't ask questions - that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursleys.**_

_**Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon. "Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of a morning greeting"**_

_**About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut.**_

_**Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way - all over the place."**_

"Oh No not the Potter's hair,Anything but the Potter's hair,My poor baby."Lilly's Shouted.

"Hey my family hair is awesome." Everyone(but James who was the one to say it) laugh at this.

"Harry James Potter if you every get a big head like your father I'm grounding you!" Lilly's cried witch mad everyone laugh.

"_**Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large, pink face, not muck neck, small, watery blue eyes and thick, blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel –"**_

"_**Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig."**_

At this everyone one burst out laughing.

"I see Harry inherited the Marauder wit!" cried out in laughter Remus and Sirius.

"Yup he just made me so proud ."James said as he ran a hand though his hair.

_**"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mummy and Daddy." "All right then, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face. Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over."**_

"_**Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right?" Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work.**_

_**Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty ... thirty ... "Thirty nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia. "Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then."**_

_**Uncle Vernon chuckled.**_

_**"Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair. At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a cine-camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games and a video recorder. He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone, looking both angry and worried.**_

_**"Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him."**_

"_**He had a name you know." Said James quietly glaring at the book in his hands."She jerked her head in Harry's direction. Dudley's mouth fell open in horror but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday his parents took him and a friend to, adventure parks, hamburger bars or the cinema. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at all the cats she'd ever owned."**_

_**"Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this. Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, My Paws and Tufty again. "We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested.**_

_**"Don't be silly Vernon, she hates the boy."**_

"_**The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there - or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn't understand them, like a slug. "What about what's-her-name, your friend - Yvonne?" "On holiday in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia.**_

_**"You could just leave me here," Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer.)**_

_**Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon. "And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled."**_

"Prongs Jr do it." Sirius yelled

_**"I suppose we could take him to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "... and leave him in the car ..." "That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone ..." Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact he wasn't really crying, it had been years since he'd really cried, but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted. "Dinky Duddydums,don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around hi I ... don't ... want ... him ... t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge pretend sobs. "He always sp-spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms."**_

_**"If That so called nephew of my has any sleve worth he stop that now."Lilly Said in a deadly vocie.**_

"_**Just then, the doorbell rang - "Oh, Good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically - and a moment later, Dudley's best friend Piers Polkiss, walked in with his was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once. Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in his life."**_

"Oh my poor boy" Lily was on the verge of tears.

" _**His aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside. 'I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Harry's, "I'm warning you now, boy - any funny business, anything at all - and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas."**_

_**I'm not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly ..." But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No ever did."**_

"We believe you Harry" they all chorused together.

"_**The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and it was just no good telling the Dursleys he didn't make them happen."**_

"_**Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barber's looking as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his fringe, which she left 'to hide that horrible scar'. Dudley laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and his Sellotaped glasses. Next morning, however, he had got up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off."**_

"_**He had been given a week in his cupboard for this,"**_

"WHAT?" bellowed Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus.

"_**Even though he had tried to explain that he couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly. Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting old jumper of Dudley's (brown with orange bobbles).**_

_**The harder she tried to pull it over his head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a glove puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Harry. Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't punished. On the other hand, he'd got into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens."**_

"Aww my baby did magic,I'm so proud"Lilly said.

"_**Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was sitting on the chimney The Dursley's had received a very angry letter from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school buildings. But all he tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big bins outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the wind must have caught him in mid-jump."**_

"My son flew with out a broom." James shouted and got high-five from Sirius and Remus.

"_**But today, nothing was going to go wrong it was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, his cupboard or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living-room.**_

_**While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry,**_

"Why dose that fat pig of an in law of my think he can get away with complaining about my son, and just look at the way he tears him."An very upset James scammed.

_**the ban and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects. This morning, it was motorbikes. "... roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorbike overtook them. "I had a dream about a motorbike," said Harry, remembering suddenly. "It was flying. Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beetroot with a moustache, "MOTORBIKES DON'T FLY!" Dudley and Piers snickered. "I know they don't," said Harry. "It was only a dream."**_

"Harry no don't say anymore!"

"Listen to your mother Harry, she's always right."

"Whipped" Sirius snickered to Remus who rolls his eyes.

"Sirius if Lily told you to shut up would you?" Remus said.

"Nope"

"Sirius shut up!" Lily's yelled.

"Right oh Lily dear." And with that he stopped talking.

James shouted "Whipped"though his laughter.

"Lets face it boys she got us all whipped." Remus stated as Lily looked proud and told James to go on

"_**But he wished he hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated more than his asking questions, it was his talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or even in a cartoon - they seemed to think he might get dangerous ideas. It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with people. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice-creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice lolly."**_

"Oh I love lemon Ice lolly, It really not as bad as you would think they would be."Lily said.

"_**It wasn't bad either,"**_"_**Harry thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head and looking remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond." **_

Everyone cracked up laughing at this.."Okay maybe Harry could dry it hair blond and take it home. I mean no one would know." Sirius got at between his laughter and everyone just laugh header.

"_**Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him. They ate in the zoo restaurant and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbockers glory wasn't big enough, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first. Harry felt, afterwards, that he should have known it was all too good to last."**_

"No, oh, No" Wailed Lily flinging herself on James.

James just looked at Sirius and Remus who all came over to try to help cram her down.

After a few minutes Lily let go of James and told him to continue pulled her his lap.

"_**After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in here, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car, and crushed it into a dustbin"**_

"And only half around Uncle Vernon…" Remus said

"But not even a quarter around Dudley." Finished Sirius

"_**- but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep.**_

_**Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils. "Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge. "Do it again," Dudley ordered Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on. "This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself - no company except people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard for a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up - at least he got to visit the rest of the house. The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were level with Harry's."**_

"..Is...I'.." James and Lily said together and everyone agreed.

"_**It winked. Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, snake jerked its head towards Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly: "I get that all the time." "I know," Harry, murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying." The snake nodded vigorously."**_

"um yer… I… um.. I wonder were he um… you know gets that from?" Sirius stammered

"Not me." James said

"Muggleborn" Lily stated holding up her hands up."But it wouldn't matter.

"yeah it doesn't matters. Right? It's still the same Harry." Remus said

"Yup" everyone agreed

_**"Where do you come from, anyway?" Harry asked. The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it.**_

_**Boa Constrictor, Brazil. "Was it nice there?" The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see - so you've never been to Brazil?" As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump. "DUDLEY! MR DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"**_

"BACK OFF YOU ASS!!"Everyone yelled and made Peter jumped as he walk in the door.

"Don't do that" he cried clutching his heart.

"Sorry" they all mumbled and told him what been going on so far.

"_**Dudley came waddling towards them as fast as he could.**_

_**"Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs. Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor."**_

_**What came next happened so fast no one saw how it second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror. Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished."**_

"HELL YER!" Cried James and Sirius Punching thin air

"_**The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out on to the floor - people throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits. as the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come ... Thanksss, amigo." The keeper of the reptile house was in the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?**_ _**The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death."**_

"Wish it had" Muttered James darkly

**"But, worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?"Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go - cupboard - stay - no meals," before he collapsed into a chair and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy. Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking in to the kitchen for some food."**

"Gee… I wonder what other Potter does that?" Sirius mock-wondered

"Who? ME? Never!" James said pouting "Anyway I don't need to. You always have enough stashed under your bed!"

"WHAT! YOU'VE BEEN TAKING MY STASH? I THOUGHT THAT WAS WORMTAIL! I even jinxed him because of it." Sirius said on an after thought "Oh well… you owe me Prongsies!"

**"He'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember, ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died. Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead. This, he supposed, was the crash, though he couldn't imagine where the green light came from. He couldn't remember his parents at all."**

A pin drop could have been heard after that.

"James… theirs only one curse that is green isn't there…" Lily trailed off tears in her eyes.

"Oh my god… Harry survived the killing curse… my son survived…" James looked proud but also sad. and pulled Lily into a hug.

"Don't... worry...we will...um...fix this."Remus whisper to her

"Yer Lily it'll get better" James said taking Sirius's place and hugged Lily. "Do you want me to finish the chapter?"

"NO…no I'll finish it… **His aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house. When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; the Dursleys were his only family. Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know him. Very strange strangers they were, too.A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to him once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Harry furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking woman dressed in all green has waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple cloak had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day then walked away without another word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a closer look. At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang."**

"That's the end guys." Lily said shutting the book.

"Bugger…"

"tomorrow than boys?" Lilly asked.

"Sweet tomorrow it is!" Lily turned. The Marauders had dinner and after Lilly left to go home.

"Well I personally can't wait till tomorrow!" Sirius Called after her.


	3. Chapter 3

_**marauders5 I thank you for you r&r,but Lily gets there they read,than eat dinner and that she goes home everyday..that way she gets to spead some time with her family oh and James and her work on head stuff inbetween it all,so that would add up to a whole day and thanks for being the only one to reviwe in both chapter and i hope the spelling got better.**_

_**victoriam549 here it is hope you like **__**;)**_

Lily showed up at Potter's and once aging they all jumped on her,with yells of my dear sweet lily all of the.

They walked up to James room and all sat in his Remus Started to read.

**Chapter Three. The Letters from No One!**

**The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his longest-ever punishment. By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard again, the summer holidays had started and Dudley had already broken his new cine-camera, crashed his remote-control aeroplane and, first time on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches."**

**This was why Harry spent as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around thinking about the end of the holidays, where he could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came he would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in his life, he wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley had a place at Uncle Vernon's old school, Smeltings, Piers Polkiss was going there, too. Harry, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local comprehensive. Dudley thought this was very funny. "They stuff people's heads down the toilet first day at Stonewall," he told Harry. "Want to come upstairs and practice?"**

**"No thanks," said Harry. "The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it - it might be sick."**

Everyone burst out laughing, "Oh,my god son going to be a fine Marauder some day." Sirius cried with pride.

walked by at that time."Let me see you boys are tring to make poor Lily dry of blushing by saying she going to have James Kid some day?" she asked with an knowing look.

"Mom how you know?"Sirius cried.

"It a gift."was he repiled as she left them alone all the Marauders laugh and Lily giggled with a slight blush on her face,

**"One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform, leaving Harry at Mrs Figg's. Mrs Figg wasn't as bad as usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one her cats and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before. She let Harry watch television and gave him a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though she'd had it for several years."**

**That evening, Dudley paraded around the living-room for the family in his brand-new uniform. Smeltings boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers and flat straw hats called boaters. They also carried knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life."**

"Sure I can see that, lets see by hitting each other with it!!! " Said a Pissed off wearwolf."Aww sexy wolf clam down."Came the vice from no where.

**"As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe her Ickle Dudleykins,"**

"Lckie Duddkeykins?!?!"They all Yelled as they looked at each other.

"Prongs ol' par,I think we're tring flower into a Marauder!"Cried Padfoot as he thown his arms around Lily's Shoulder.

"Padfoot has a Point Prongs ol' lad,Flower is fast be coming one of us."Moony said as he to thown an arm around her.

"I am so pround of you,our flower acting like one of us at least." Prongs said as he wriped away tears of joy.

"Who flower?" Warntail asked as he walked in.

"Lily is."they all replied.

**"There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry went for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. He went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in grey water. "What's this?" he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if he dared to ask a question.**

**"Your new school uniform," she said. Harry looked in the bowl again.**

**"Oh," he said. "I didn't realise it had to be so wet."**

"Sorry Flower my dear sis in law, looks like Prongs jr got James Mind,"

"Oh, my poor baby, Merlin help him."

James sat they with a wishper of"I see how muched i am loved."

**"Don't be stupid," snapped aunt Petunia. "I'm dyeing some of Dudley's old things grey for you. It'll look like everyone else's when I've finished." Harry seriously doubted this, but thought it best not to argue. He sat down at the table and tried not to think about how he was going to look on his first day at Stonewall High - like he was wearing bits of old elephant skin, probably. Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from Harry's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smeltings stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table.**

**They heard the click of the letter-box and flop of letters on the doormat. "Get the post, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.**

**"Make Harry get it."**

**"Get the post, Harry."**

**"Make Dudley get it."**

**"Poke him with your Smeltings stick, Dudley."**

"Oh Padfoot,Moony,Prongs,Warmtail,Petunia and Vernon are coming over for dinner tonight would you boys be so kind as to come?"Lily said in a sing song vice.

They all smile evilly(All but wartail who had to go aging and couldn't go to lily's.)

**'Harry dodged the Smeltings stick and went to get the post. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was holidaying on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill and - a letter for Harry.'**

**Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one, ever, in his whole life, had written to him. Who would? He had no friends, no other relatives - he didn't belong to the library so he'd never even got rude notes asking for books back. Yet, here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake:**

**Mr H. Potter**

**the Cupboard under the Stairs**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging**

**Surrey**

**'Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter 'H'.**

**"Hurry up, boy!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter-bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke.'**

"THAT IS NOT A REAL JOKE"Cried the Marauders in out rages.

''A real comedian here gents, a real fat ugly,not at all funny Comedian that is." Lily said as Sirius bowed to her out of respect.

**Harry went back to the kitchen, still staring at his letter.'**

"He taking off of you aging"Lily said as she hit James.

**'He handed Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, sat down and slowly began to open the yellow envelope.'**

**Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust and flipped over the postcard.**

**"Marge's ill," he informed Aunt Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk ..."**

**"Dad!" said Dudley suddenly. "Dad, Harry's got something!"**

"defiantly James son.' Lily grumbled under her breath. James stuck his tongue out at her and she stuck her's out right back at him witch he put to good use...

"Wow he kissed her,poor flower."Padfoot and Moony said together.

**Harry was on the point of unfolding his letter, which was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was jerked sharply out of his hand by Uncle Vernon.'**

**"That's mine!" said Harry, trying to snatch it back.**

**"Who'd be writing to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon, shaking the letter open with one hand and glancing at it.**

**His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds it was the greyish white of old porridge."P-P-Petunia!" he gasped.**

**Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it high out of his reach. Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her throat and made a choking noise. "Vernon! Oh my goodness - Vernon!"**

'Choke, choke, choke!' chanted the Marauders(Lily a Marauder remenber)

**They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that Harry and Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored. He gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smeltings stick.**

**"I want to read that letter," he said loudly.**

**"I want to read it," said Harry furiously, "as it's mine."**

"Yay Harry"

**"Get out both of you," croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back inside its envelope.**

**Harry didn't move.**

**"I WANT MY LETTER!" he shouted.'**

"That it baby stand up fpr ypur self."Lily and James said together.(Lily now being wraped in James arms and not planing on moving anytime soon.)

**"Let me see it!" demanded Dudley.**

**"OUT!" roared Uncle Vernon, and he took both Harry and Dudley by the scruffs of their necks and threw them into the hall, slamming the kitchen door behind them.**

**Harry and Dudley promptly had a furious but silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole;**

"Harry. Harry, Harry"(this is all the Marauders and yes that means Lily)

**Dudley won,**

"May I start a list of Prankes to pull on your sis and and your soon to be in law?" Padfoot asked

Flower smiled evilly and Padfoot and Prongs started the list as Remus read more.

**So Harry, his glasses dangling from one ear, lay flat on his stomach to listen at the crack between the door and the floor.**

**"Vernon," Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice, "look at the address - how could they possibly know where he sleeps? You don't think they're watching the house?"**

**"Watching - spying - might be following us," muttered Uncle Vernon wildly.**

**"But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't want - "**

**Harry could see Uncle Vernon's shiny shoes pacing up and down the kitchen.**

**"No," he said finally. "No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an answer ... yes, that's best ... we won't do anything ..."**

"nope it won't work"

**"But -"**

**"I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took him in we'd stamp out all that dangerous nonsense?"**

"Don't you touch my boy',or else' James threaten as Padfoot wright somethng on his little list with an evil smile on his lipes.

**That evening when he got back from work, Uncle Vernon did something he'd never done before; he visited Harry in his cupboard.**

**"Where's my letter?" said Harry, the moment Uncle Vernon had squeezed through the door.**

"Bloodly hell, how did he fit?" gasped Lily and Remus.

Everyone laugh.

**"Who's writing to me?"**

**"No on. It was addressed to you by mistake," said Uncle Vernon shortly. "I have burned it."**

**"It was not a mistake," said Harry angrily. "It had my cupboard on it."**

**"SILENCE!" yelled Uncle Vernon, and a couple of spiders fell from the ceiling. He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a smile, which looked quite painful.'**

**'Hope his face cracks' Sirius prayed**

**"Er – yes, Harry – about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been thinking you're really getting a bit big for it … we think it might be nice if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom."**

**"Why?" said Harry.**

**"Don't ask questions!" snapped his uncle. "Take this stuff upstairs, now."**

**The Dursleys' house had four bedrooms: one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia,'**

"Wow didnt need to know that." They all said than look at each other.

"How can they i mean, wouldn't your sister be like flated?" Moony asked.

Sirius coughed ". .It."

"Why the bloody hell was he in a capboard in the frist place?!?" The all yelled as the shock of the nasty thought.(Petunia and Vernon alone in a enugth to make anyone sick)

**One for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one where Dudley slept and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things that wouldn't fit into Dudley's first bedroom.**

**It only took Harry one trip upstairs to move everything he owned from the cupboard into his room. He sat down on the bed and stared around him.**

**Nearly everything in here was broken. The month-old cine-camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over next door's dog; in the corner was Dudley's first-ever television set, which he'd put his foot through when his favourite programme had been cancelled; there was a large birdcage which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school for a real air-rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it.**

**Other shelves were full of books. They were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been touched.**

**From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother: "I don't want him in there ... I need that room ... make him get out ..."**

"Brat!!"

**Harry sighed and stretched out on the bed.**

**Yesterday he'd have given anything to be up here. Today he'd rather be back in his cupboard with that letter than up here without it.**

**Net morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet.**

**Dudley was in shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smeltings stick, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother and thrown his tortoise through the greenhouse roof and he still didn't have his room back.** **Harry was thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing he'd opened the letter in the hall. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each other darkly. When the post arrived, Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be trying to be nice to Harry, made Dudley go and get it. They heard him banging things with his Smeltings stick all the way down the hall. Then he shouted, "There's another one! Mr H. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive - **

**With a strangled cry, Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the hall, Harry right behind him. Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact that Harry had grabbed Uncle Vernon around the neck from behind.**

"GO HARRY!!" Yelled everyone

**After a minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the Smeltings stick, Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath, with Harry's letter clutched in his hand.**

**Go to your cupboard - I mean, your bedroom," he wheezed at Harry. "Dudley - go - just go."**

**Harry walked round and round his room. Someone knew he had moved out of his cupboard and they seemed to know he hadn't received his first letter. Surely that meant they'd try again? And this time he'd make sure they didn't fail. He had a plan.**

"Aww my baby going to be a Marauder"Said flower with a smile.

'"Atta boy son! Do it the Marauders way!"Prongs started Proundy

"Cause mayhem and laughter Everywhere you go''Moonay put in.

'"Make the teachers insane." Padfoot added.

**The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next turned it off quickly and dressed silently. He mustn't wake the Dursleys. He stole downstairs without turning on any of the lights.**

**He was going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and get the letters for number four first.**

**His heart hammered as he crept across the dark hall towards the front door -**

**"AAAAARRRGH!"**

**arry leapt into the air - he'd trodden on something big and squashy on the doormat - something alive!**

**Lights clicked on upstairs and to his horror Harry realised that the big squashy something had been his uncle's face.**

"HELL BLOODLY YESSS!!!"(it everyone that yelled that)

**'Uncle Vernon had been lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making sure that Harry didn't do exactly what he'd been trying to do.**

**He shouted at Harry for about half an hour and then told him to go and make a cup of tea. Harry shuffled miserably off into the kitchen, and by the time he got back, the post had arrived, right into Uncle Vernon's lap. Harry could see three letters addressed in green ink.**

**"I want - " he began, but Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into pieces before his eyes.**

"No fat pig is stopping the leader of the Marauders son from getting his letter." Said Lily pissed belong words.

"He not just one Marauder's son,He also one of the smartest Marauders son to flower deary." Moony reminded her.

Lily smiled at this and wishper something that sounded like _"Am a Marauder,I am one of them."_

**Uncle Vernon didn't go to work that day. He stayed at home and nailed up the letterbox.**

**"See," he explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails, "if they can't deliver, they'll just give up."**

**"I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon."**

**"Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they're not like you and me,"**

**Said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the piece of fruit cake Aunt Petunia had just brought him.**

"I am happy that me and my boys aren't like that fat ass pig."Flower said smiling to her Marauders.

"And Our son better not trun out like them eather or I'll have to kill Vernon."

**On Friday, no fewer than twelve letters arrived for Harry. As they couldn't go through the letterbox they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the sides and a few even forced through the small window in the downstairs toilet. Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters, he got out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and back doors so no one could go out. He hummed 'Tiptoe through the Tulips' as he worked, and jumped at small noises**.

"Oh my the fat pig lossing his mind." Sirius Cried out in joy.

**On Saturday, things began to get out of hand. Twenty-four letters to Harry found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each of the two dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt Petunia through the living-room window. While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to, Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food mixer.'**

**"Who on earth wants to talk to you this badly?" Dudley asked Harry in amazement.**

"Everyone in the wizarding world." Remus Snarled.

**On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy. "No post on Sunday's," he reminded them happily as he spread marmalade on his newspapers,**

**"No damn letters today -"**

**Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and caught him sharply on the back of the head.**

**Next moment, thirty or forty letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets.**

**The Dursleys ducked, but Harry leapt into the air trying to catch one -**

"GET IT HARRY!!!"Sirius,Remus,and James shouted.

**"Out! OUT!"**

**Uncle Vernon seized Harry around the waist and threw him into the hall'**

"'CHILD ABUSE! Lily screeched with a look the could kill.

**When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor.**

**"That does it," said Uncle Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling great tufts out of his moustache at the same time. "I want you all back here in five minutes, ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some clothes. No arguments!" He looked so dangerous with half his moustache missing that no one dared argue.**

"Oh yeah ran from it,that'll stop it,not."Sirius smart ass repiled was.

**Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding towards the motorway. Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, video and computer in his sports bag. They drove. And they drove. Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turning and drive in the opposite direction for a while.**

**"Shake 'em off ... shake 'em off," he would mutter whenever he did this.**

"Mind gone bye bye." Everyone said than laught

"Lily your thinking like us,i lost count on how many time all of us said the same thing." Remus said.

**They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. By nightfall Dudley was howling.'**

**He'd never had such a bad day in his life. He was hungry, he'd missed five television programmes he'd wanted to see and he'd never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer.'**

"Good feel like Harry for once in your fat meaningless life."

**Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. Dudley and Harry shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets.**

**Dudley snored but Harry stayed awake, sitting on the window-sill, staring down at the lights of passing cars and wondering...'**

**"'Scuse me, but is one of you Mr H. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred of these at the front desk."**

**She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address:**

**Mr H. Potter**

**Room 17**

**Railview Hotel**

**Cokeworth**

**Harry made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked his hand out of the way. The woman stared.**

**"I'll take them," said Uncle Vernon quickly, standing up quickly and following her from the dining room.**

**"Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested timidly, hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her. Exactly what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in the car and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle of a ploughed field, halfway across a suspension bridge and at the top of a multi-storey car park. Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that afternoon.**

**Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside the car and disappeared.**

**It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dudley snivelled.**

**"It's Monday," he told his mother.'**

**"The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a television."**

**Monday.**

**This reminded Harry of something. If it was Monday –**

**And you could usually count on Dudley to know the days of the week, because of television - then tomorrow, Tuesday,Was Harry's eleventh birthday.**

**Of course, his birthdays were never exactly fun –**

"Tunny it better have nothing to do with your family." Lily glowed out witch had everyone hiding.

**Last year, the Dursleys had given him a coat-hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks.'**

(Flower gave a look that said write more pranks and off they went.)

**Still, you weren't eleven every day. Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling.**

**He was also carrying a long, thin package and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd bought.**

**"Found the perfect place!" he said. "Come on! Everyone out!"**

**It was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what looked like a large rock way out to sea. Perched on top of the rock was the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was certain, there was no television in there. Storm forecast for tonight!" said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his hands together. "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!"**

**A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowing boat bobbing in the iron-grey water below them.**

**"I've already got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon, "so all aboard!"**

**It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding, led the way to the broken-down house. The inside was horrible; it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls and the fireplace was damp and empty. There were only two rooms. Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a packet of crisps each and four bananas. He tried to start a fire but the empty crisp packets just smoked and shrivelled up. "Could do with some of those letters now eh?" he said cheerfully.**

**He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance of reaching them here in a storm to deliver post. Harry privately agreed, though the thought didn't cheer him up at all.**

"like that would stop Dumbledore." James shouted.

"My son try to look on the bright side of thing." Lily said as sje started to cry.

**As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows.**

**Aunt Petunia found a few mouldy blankets in the second room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door and Harry was left to find the softest bit of floor he could and to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket.**

**The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Harry couldn't sleep. He shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable, his stomach rumbling with hunger. Dudley's snores were drowned by the low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. The lighted dial of Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat wrist, told Harry he'd be eleven in ten minutes' time. He lay and watched his birthday tick nearer, wondering if the Dursleys would remember at all, wondering where the letter-writer was now.**

**Five minutes to go. Harry heard something creak hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in, although it might be warmer if it did. Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of letters when they got back that he'd be able to steal one somehow. Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that? And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? Was the rock crumbling into the sea?One minute to go and he'd be eleven. Thirty seconds ... twenty seconds ... ten - nine - maybe he'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him –'**

"YESS DO IT!!!"(Marauder yelled in joy.)

**Three - two - one –**

**BOOM. **

**The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.**

"Lets get ready to have dinner"Flower said and they all shared an evil smile.

_**That the end for now, if you want to know how dinner gose R&r people love a.c.a(AngelcatAanna duh.)**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Epic-Fax-Luvr:I am happy you like **

**Chocolate Frog 1996:I am working on on of that **

**fannatastic: your reviwe made me smile so i hope this would make you laugh!!!**

The Dinner And Pink Fat Pig with a Green Petruna!!!

As the boys got ready Lily was telling Nacy she was talking the boys over for dinner with an evil look in her eyes.

Laugh and said"Takes Pictures for me Lily dear."the boys walk over to lily already to go. As they walk down the street to Lily's house a couple of giggling girls walked past.

One of them wishper"What up with the ugly bitch,hanging with the hotties?" Sirius put his arms around Lily wrist at this and with an evil look he picked her up with a yell of.

"I GOT THE FLOWER!!! I GOT THE FLOWER!!!" As he strated running away with her.

"PADFOOT GET BACK HERE WITH MY LILY FLOWER!!!"James shouldted afther him and started running to save his one and only lovely lady.

Remus smiles at the whole thing turn to the girls and said in his clam sexy vice.(An:Yeah i dont like Remus at all :p lol can't you tell?)

"I believe the only ulgy bitches i see is you guys,LIly is our jewel and we won't put up with girls like you making fun of ,PRONGS LET FLOWER DOWN BEFORE YOU HURT HER!" (Sirius and James was fighting over Lily,both of them holding on to her and she was giggling with cried of "PUT ME DOWN!!'' by this time)

"YES MOONY THE ALL MIGHTLY ONE!!"All three of them yelled together witch made all the Marauders blust up laughing,As they got to Lily's James trun to Sirius amd Remus.

"Padfoot did you bering everything?"he asked with a wink and got one right back."Nothing that going to hurt them lils i sraw it."

Lily smiles at them as she open the door and called out.

"Mom I'm home and I bright some Freinds over for know the ones from my school."At this a women with long red hair and the same Green eyes as lily came out in a bright Bule and black dress with black high heels with a big smile on her face she wraps her arms around Lily and cried.

"My little Tiger Lily,all grow up and bring boys home,to her old ugly mother." and a laugh came from a blonde haired man with a light smile and kind eyes of blue.

"You my dear wife is not old and no where naer ugly" He speark in a gitly kind vice witch got him a sweet giggle from his wife.

"Okay when mom and dad get mushy that when I go come on my Marauders lets go meet my sister boyfreind."

With a reaw of laugher there follow their Lily flower and So did her mom and dad witch exchanged looks when Lily said Marauders.

"Petunia Dear When is this Boyfriend of yours going to be here?" Her mother called as Petunia Evans came out of the Kitchen.

"Soon,and who are these people?" She asked

"These are my Freinds from one is knowen as Padfoot real name is,"Lily said as she put her arms around Sirius who cut her off.

"Black Sirius Black" He finshed for her as he wraped his arms around Lily and kissed Lily check. "It nice to know Lily got all her mother Good looks, but it really unfair to your sister who got none of it."

This got all the Maruaders(lily a marauder remanber) and Lily's Perants laughing.

"Right as i was Saying real Name Sirius Black,Next to me(at this she unwraped herself from Sirius and Wraped her arms around Remus) is Moony will Moony to us to you he is." And once aging one of the Marauders cut her off and picked up to finshes for her.

"Remus Lupin,And I most argee with about it being you really should of share some of you beaty with your..um..Sister."

As he to Kissed her checked once aging laugher all around.

"Right and last but really lest(hey came from the boy himslef) is the bellying toerag Prongs himself(She unwraped her self from Moony and wraped her arms around James who was playfuly graling at her.)

Who real name is."And James did just like the rest of the Marauders and cut her off.

"Potter James Potter the one and only(Lily roll her eyes at him)But I am sure Petunia have more tact than oure Flower here."Everyone Laugh and James got a playful hit on the arm for that one.

"AND TOGETHER WERE THE ONE AND ONLY MARAUDERS!"They all said together with Lily giggling and shocking her head as her mom and dad laugh and smiled at the secen.

A knock at the the door had tham all come running to get it."Oh He here," As the fat git pig walked in their all sat down for dinner.

"Lily my love,(Lily rices an eyebrow at this.)Do you think Vernon is it?"Vermon gave a quit yes as he ate."Right as i was saying do you think Vermon would like one of these candy's i was telling you about?"With this James winked at her.

"Oh yeah i sure he would and Pet sis can i get you another Jamies no calling me come with me to get her drink?"Sirius Jumped up as James give Vermon a handed Sirius the drink and he put some wired Green pill in the drink that was gone as soon as it went in the drink and they walked back to her "sister" and gve her the Vernom trun pink and grow eears like a pig and a pig tail.

Righs as Peturna took a drink and her trun Maraders brust up laughing.

!


	5. Chapter 5

Chocolate Frog 1996:I tried i am not sure if i find them for reviwing 2 times :)

fannatastic:Hope you like this up the Reviwes from you, you always make me smile.

**Chapter 4 part 2 Reading chapter 4 and Chapter 5.**

Lily and the rest of the Marauders walk out to Lily's backyard and sat down."Did anyone bring the book?"

She asked the guys and Remus pulled the book out from a book bag she didnt notice before and Sirius took the book.

"It looks like it my turn."

**Chapter 4**

**"The Keeper of the Keys," **

**BOOM.**

A yelled boom want off and Lily roll her eyes(He 17 afther all.)

**They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake.**

**"Where's the cannon?" he said stupidly.**

"Idiot" James laughed

"That my idiot of a sister coming out in him that is."everyone laugh at this and all give Lily a highfive,.

**There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands – now they knew what had been in the long, thin package he had brought with them.**

"A gun!" Lily cried.

**"Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you — I'm armed!"**

**There was a pause. Then —**

**SMASH!**

"James!"Lily yelled as she jumped into his arms.

"What?"

"Blacks magic make it seem like where they and i worried about our son."

"Oh..uh..hm..Flower...it okay."James said slowly

**The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor.**

**A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair. The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door, and fitted it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all.**

"Hagrid!" Lily cried out in happieness.

"**Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey…"**

**He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear.**

**"Budge up, yeh great lump," said the stranger.**

"GO HAGRID"Everyone shuted.

**Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother, who was crouching, terrified, behind Uncle Vernon.**

**"An' here's Harry!" said the giant.**

**Harry looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile.**

**"Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the giant. "Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mum's eyes."**

"Good looks and awesome eyes" James Said and smiled at Lily who playful hit him.

**Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise.**

**"I demand that you leave at once, sir!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!"**

**"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," said the giant;**

**he reached over the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it into a corner of the room.**

**Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on.**

**"Anyway — Harry," said the giant, turning his back on the Dursleys, "a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here — I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."**

"Sat on it??" She asked.

"I'd still eat it!"

"That doesn't surprise me padfoot."Lily repiled made Sirius smile.

"Good it shouldnt."

**From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in green icing.**

"Aww" Lily cooed "That's so sweet!"

**Harry looked up at the giant. He meant to say thank you, but the words got lost on the way to his mouth, and what he said instead was, "Who are you?"**

"Harry James Potter, use your manners" Lily scolded lightly.

**The giant chuckled.**

**"True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."**

"HOGWARTS!!"

"One stop that you three and two Padfoot do Hargrid's vice right."

"Why dont you flower?"Sirius asked and so Lily did and it was dead on(or least better than Sirius's.)so Srirus said.

"You get over here my wounderful sis in law and do Hargrid's vice for me."With that being said Lily moved to sat next to Sirius so she could see the book better but Sirius pulled her into his lap and hold her much like an older brother would hold his sister,but James still said.

"I am watching you black,if you try to feel up my wife to be I'll kill you,brother or no brother."

**He held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm.**

**"What about that tea then, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together. "I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind."**

Lily shook her head disapprovingly and the boys laughed.

**His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shriveled chip bags in it and he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; they couldn't see what he was doing but when he drew back a second later, there was a roaring fire there. It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and Harry felt the warmth wash over him as though he'd sunk into a hot bath.**

"I thought Hagrid ward was sniped." Lily frowned.

"Well it should be since he was expelled…we don't know why though." James shrugged.

**The giant sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight, and began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs, and a bottle of some amber liquid that he took a swig from before starting to make tea.**

**Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage. Nobody said a thing while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little. Uncle Vernon said sharply, "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley."**

"Oh please" Remus snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah Vermin. Your whale of a kid doesn't need any more meat on his bones." Sirius sneered.

**The giant chuckled darkly.**

**"Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore, Dursley, don' worry." He passed the sausages to Harry, who was so hungry he had never tasted anything so wonderful, but he still couldn't take his eyes off the giant. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, he said, "I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are."**

Lily smiled at this, pleased that he at least had some manners."That better."

**The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.**

**"Call me Hagrid," he said, "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts — yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course.**

Sirius fell silent quickly and Lily smiled evily witch had both Mooney and Prong to look at them and padfoot winked at them and went back to reading.

**"Er — no," said Harry.**

**Hagrid looked shocked.**

**"Sorry," Harry said quickly.**

"Oh I am going to love this."Flower said and her evil smile just got bigger.

**"Sorry?" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back into the shadows. "It's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learned it all?"**

**"All what?" asked Harry.**

**"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered.**

"Yeah, you tell them Hagrid!" James cheered.

**"Now wait jus' one second!"**

**He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursleys were cowering against the wall.**

**"Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that this boy — this boy! — knows nothin' abou' — about ANYTHING?"**

"Oh Flower you are just amzing at this."

Lily sighed.

**Harry thought this was going a bit far. He had been to school, after all, and his marks weren't bad.**

**"I know some things," he said. "I can, you know, do math and stuff."**

**But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, "About our world, I mean. Your world. My world. Yer parents' world."**

**"What world?"**

**Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode.**

**"DURSLEY!" he boomed.**

**Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like "Mimblewimble."**

The Marauders smirked at this, pleased that Dursley was getting shouted at."I for one think Mimblewimble is a great thing to be able to get out with Hagrid being there and yelling at tham and all"

The boys laugh at this as Lily give a smirk of her own.

**Hagrid stared wildly at Harry. "But yeh must know about yer mom and dad," he said. "I mean, they're famous. You're famous."**

**"What? My — my mom and dad weren't famous, were they?"**

**"Yeh don' know… yeh don' know…" Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare.**

**"Yeh don' know what yeh are?" he said finally.**

**Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice.**

**"Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!"**

Lily hold a hand up before eather of the boys could siad anything.

A** braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage.**

**"You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from him all these years?"**

**"Kept what from me?" said Harry eagerly.**

**"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic.**

**Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror.**

**"Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh," said Hagrid. "Harry — yer a wizard."**

"WHOOOOOOO!" James and Sirius yelled,putting the book down and Lily so he could do a happy dance with James. Lily and Remus laughed at them and shook their Srisus pick both Lily and the book up James sat down.

**There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard.**

**"I'm a what?" gasped Harry.**

**"A wizard, o' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good 'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter."**

**Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to Mr. H. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea. He pulled out the letter and read:**

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE**

**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)**

**Dear Mr. Potter,**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.**

**Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Minerva McGonagall,**

**Deputy Headmistress**

"We should be there for this" James smiled sadly at all of them.

"Well duh." Sirius smirked.

**Questions exploded inside Harry's head like fireworks and he couldn't decide which to ask first. After a few minutes he stammered, "What does it mean, they await my owl?"**

**"Of all the questions to ask… it had to be that one." Sirius grinned, barking out a laugh.**

**"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl — a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl**

"He kept an owl in his pocket??" Lily cried, looking appalled. "Poor thing!"

— **a long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could read upside down:**

**Dear Professor Dumbledore,**

**Given Harry his letter.**

**Taking him to buy his things tomorrow.**

**Weather's horrible. Hope you're well.**

**Hagrid**

**Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone.**

**Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly.**

**"Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.**

**"He's not going," he said.**

**Hagrid grunted.**

**"I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him," he said.**

**"A what?" said Harry, interested.**

**"A Muggle," said Hagrid, "it's what we call nonmagic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on."**

**"We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!"**

"STAMP IT OUT!?" Lily suddenly screamed.

"YOU BETTER NOT HAVE TOUCHED MY SON DURSLEY!" James snarled.

Sirius was growling deep in his throat, his hands clenched into fists and Remus's eyes had turned amber.

"TOUCH MY GODSON AND PAY."

"LAY EVEN A FINGUR ON HIM AND I'LL SHOW YOU HOW MAD A WEREWOLF CAN GET."Lily cramly put an hand over Remus and smiled at him.

**"You knew?" said Harry. "You knew I'm a — a wizard?"**

**"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was?**

**Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that — that school — and came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats.**

"I never did that." Lily sighed, exasperated.

**I was the only one who saw her for what she was — a freak!**

Lily flinched slightly at that and Padfoot tickeled her.

**But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!"**

**She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to say all this for years.**

**"Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as — as —abnormal — and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"**

"Lily and James aren't abnormal" Sirius snarled.

**Harry had gone very white. As soon as he found his voice he said, "Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!"**

**"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowin' his own story when every kid in our world knows his name!"**

**"But why? What happened?" Harry asked urgently.**

**The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious.**

**"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Harry, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh — but someone's gotta — yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'.**

**He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys.**

**"Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh — mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it…"**

**He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with — with a person called — but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows —"**

**"Who?"**

**"Well — I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."**

"I do" Sirius argued.

"Yeah, none of us mind saying it." Jamed agreed.

**"Why not?"**

**"Gulpin' gargoyles, Harry, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went… bad. As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was…"**

**Hagrid gulped, but no words came out.**

**"Could you write it down?" Harry suggested.**

**"Nah — can't spell it. All right —Voldemort. "**

**Hagrid shuddered. "Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this — this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too — some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches… terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him — an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway."Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before… probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side.**

"Yeah I'd never join Voldemort!" James said firmly.

"As if I'd have a choice." Lily snorted. "He hates Muggleborns even if he one him slef but yes. I'd never join him either."

"**Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em… maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old. He came ter yer house an' — an' —" Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with a sound like a foghorn.**

**"Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad — knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find — anywa…**

"No we're not you are Hargrid"

**"You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then — an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing — he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then. But he couldn't do it. Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh — took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even — but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Harry.**

**No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age — the McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts**

"Marlene!" Lily cried. "No!"

"Prewetts… that's Molly, Gideon and Fabian isn't it?" James frowned.

"Molly married Arthur Weasley.. So I guess it's just the twins."

— **an' you was only a baby, an' you lived."**

**Something very painful was going on in Harry's mind. As Hagrid's story came to a close, he saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than he had ever remembered it before — and he remembered something else, for the first time in his life: a high, cold, cruel laugh.**

Lily buried her head in her hands James frowned, looking pained.

**Hagrid was watching him sadly.**

**"Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot…."**

**"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon. Harry jumped; he had almost forgotten that the Dursleys were there. Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were clenched.**

**"Now, you listen here, boy," he snarled, "I accept there's something strange about you,**

**probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured**

The marauders all glowed or hissed.

**and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdoes, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion**

Sirius and Remus started yelling curses about how stupid 'Vermin' Was and the world would just be a miserable place without Prongs and Flower in it.

— **asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types — just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end -"**

**But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat.**

**Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley — I'm warning you — one more word…"**

**"Yeah, Shut up Vermin" Sirius spat.**

**In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent.**

**"That's better," said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor.**

**Harry, meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them.**

**"But what happened to Vol-, sorry — I mean, You-Know-Who?"**

**"I hope he doesn't start to fear Voldemorts name… I mean it is only a name" James sighed.**

**"Good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried ter kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see… he was gettin' more an' more powerful — why'd he go?**

**"Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die.**

**Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back.**

**"Unless they were faking it" Sirius muttered, thinking of Lucius Malfoy**

**"Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on — I dunno what it was, no one does — but somethin' about you stumped him, all right."**

**Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but Harry, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake.**

**A wizard? Him? How could he possibly be? He'd spent his life being clouted by Dudley, and bullied by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon; if he was really a wizard, why hadn't they been turned into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock him in his cupboard? If he'd once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley had always been able to kick him around like a football?**

**"Hagrid," he said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard."**

**To his surprise, Hagrid chuckled.**

**"Not a wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or angry?"**

**"Hmmm I wonder" Sirius chuckled.**

**Harry looked into the fire. Now he came to think about it… every odd thing that had ever made his aunt and uncle furious with him had happened when he, Harry, had been upset or angry… chased by Dudley's gang, he had somehow found himself out of their reach… dreading going to school with that ridiculous haircut, he'd managed to make it grow back… and the very last time Dudley had hit him, hadn't he got his revenge, without even realizing he was doing it? Hadn't he set a boa constrictor on him?**

"HE A MARAUDER!" Yelled the boys

**Harry looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively beaming at him.**

**"See?" said Hagrid. "Harry Potter, not a wizard — you wait, you'll be right famous at Hogwarts."**

**But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight.**

**"Haven't I told you he's not going?" he hissed. "He's going to Stonewall High and he'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and he needs all sorts of rubbish — spell books and wands and —"**

**"If he wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop him," growled Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter's son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. His name's been down ever since he was born.**

**He's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and he won't know himself. He'll be with youngsters of his own sort, fer a change, an' he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumbled—"**

**"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon.**

Aging Lily smirked evilly at them as Srirus laugh madly.

**But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, "NEVER —" he thundered, "— INSULT — ALBUS — DUMBLEDORE — IN — FRONT — OF — ME!" He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley — there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned his back on them, Harry saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers.**

They all started to laugh hard at that and it took them a good few minutes to calm down.

**Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them.**

**Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard.**

**"Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."**

"Oh no Hargrid lose your temper on them anytime you like," Lily said evily

**He cast a sideways look at Harry under his bushy eyebrows.**

**"Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said. "I'm — er — not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff — one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job."**

**"Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked Harry.**

**"Oh, well — I was at Hogwarts meself but I — er — got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore."**

**"Why were you expelled?"**

**"It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that."**

"Subtle Hagrid." Remus smiled.

**He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry.**

**"You can kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' doormice in one o' the pockets."**

"You wont to head back to my place and stay over to finsh up some head stuff an maybe read the next chapter?"

Witch they did and got done with more head boy and girl stuff they started the next chapter.

"It should be Peter's trun but hey it okay,we're just start over.

**"chapter 5 Diagon Ally."**Remus said as he Pulled Lily in his lap and hold her in the same way as Sirius's did,so she can read Hargrid's part aging.

Lily smiled. "I love Diagon Alley."

"Hey how come mooney dont get a death theart?"

"He to nice to hit on my soon to be wife."

**Harry woke early the next morning. Although he could tell it was daylight, he kept his eyes shut tight.**

**It was a dream, he told himself firmly. I dreamed a giant called Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for wizards. When I open my eyes I'll be at home in my cupboard.**

**There was suddenly a loud tapping noise.**

**And there's Aunt Petunia knocking on the door, Harry thought, his heart sinking.**

"He's such a pessimist" Remus chuckled.

**But he still didn't open his eyes. It had been such a good dream.**

**Tap. Tap. Tap.**

**"All right," Harry mumbled, "I'm getting up."**

**He sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off him. The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak.**

**Harry scrambled to his feet, so happy he felt as though a large balloon was swelling inside him. He went straight to the window and jerked it open.**

"Aw." Lily cooed sftly, smiling.

**The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat.**

**"Don't do that."**

**Harry tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at him and carried on savaging the coat.**

**"Hagrid!" said Harry loudly. "There's an owl —"**

**"Pay him," Hagrid grunted into the sofa.**

"**What?"**

**"He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets."**

**Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets — bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags… finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins.**

**"Give him five Knuts," said Hagrid sleepily.**

**"Knuts?"**

**"The little bronze ones."**

**Harry counted out five little bronze coins, and the owl held out his leg so Harry could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then he flew off through the open window.**

**Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up, and stretched.**

**"Best be off, Harry, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school."**

"Diagon alley rocks" Sirius grinned.

**Harry was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. He had just thought of something that made him feel as though the happy balloon inside him had got a puncture.**

**"Um — Hagrid?"**

**"Mm?" said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots.**

**"I haven't got any money — and you heard Uncle Vernon last night… he won't pay for me to go and learn magic."**

**"No he'll have money." James smiled. "We would have left him something."**

**"Don't worry about that," said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?"**

**"But if their house was destroyed —"**

**"They didn' keep their gold in the house, boy! Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards' bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold — an' I wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither."**

**"Wizards have banks?"**

**"Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins."**

**Harry dropped the bit of sausage he was holding.**

**"Goblins?"**

**"Yeah — so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins, Harry.**

"I disagree" Lily shuddered. "The first time I saw them they looked really cool."

"I can't think of anyone crazy enough to break into Gringotts! Except…y'know Moldyshorts. " James said, raising his eyebrows. (An:Oh the irony for in a couple of books he'll find out his son is as crazy as modly voldy.)

**Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe — 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business." Hagrid drew himself up proudly. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you — gettin' things from Gringotts — knows he can trust me, see."**

**Got everythin'? Come on, then." Harry followed Hagrid out onto the rock. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Uncle Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm.**

**"How did you get here?" Harry asked, looking around for another boat.**

**"Flew," said Hagrid.**

**"Flew?" Everybody echoed in surprise.**

James and Sirius cracked up.

"I can't imagine Hagrid on a broomstick" James laughed.

**"Flew?"**

**"Yeah — but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh."**

**They settled down in the boat, Harry still staring at Hagrid, trying to imagine him flying.**

"Me too Harry" James chuckled, grinning.

"Like father like son." Lily and Remus said together.

"Like guy nerd like Girl nerd." Padfoot and Prongs said together as Remus and Lily blushed,

**"Seems a shame ter row, though," said Hagrid, giving Harry another of his sideways looks. "If I was ter — er — speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?"**

"Of course he won't" Sirius scoffed."He Progs son afther all."

**"Of course not," said Harry, eager to see more magic. Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of the boat, and they sped off toward land.**

**"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry asked.**

**"Spells — enchantments," said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he spoke. "They say there's dragons guardin' the high security vaults.**

"AWESOME" James and Sirius yelled and Remus grimaced.

"One more word" Lily hissed dangerously, pulling out her wand.

The boys eyed it warily and fell silent.

**And then yeh gotta find yer way — Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat."**

**Harry sat and thought about this while Hagrid read his newspaper, the Daily Prophet. Harry had learned from Uncle Vernon that people liked to be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult, he'd never had so many questions in his life.**

**"Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered, turning the page.**

**"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry asked, before he could stop himself.**

**"'Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice."**

**"But what does a Ministry of Magic do?"**

**"Nothing useful"**

**"Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country."**

**"Why?"**

**"Why? Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone."**

**At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbor wall. Hagrid folded up his newspaper, and they clambered up the stone steps onto the street.**

**Passersby stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station.**

**Harry couldn't blame them. Not only was Hagrid twice as tall as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like parking meters and saying loudly, "See that, Harry? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?"**

Remus chuckled and Lily smiled slightly.

**"Hagrid," said Harry, panting a bit as he ran to keep up, "did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?"**

**"Well, so they say," said Hagrid. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon."**

**"You'd like one?"**

**"Wanted one ever since I was a kid — here we go."**

"Doesn't he live in a wooden house?" Lily asked warily.

"That wouldn't stop Hagrid" James grinned. "He loves his pets."

"Watch out for the one's with really cute names thou." Srirus said

**They had reached the station. There was a train to London in five minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand "Muggle money,"**

**as he called it, gave the bills to Harry so he could buy their tickets.**

**People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent.**

**"Still got yer letter, Harry?" he asked as he counted stitches.**

**Harry took the parchment envelope out of his pocket.**

**"Good," said Hagrid. "There's a list there of everything yeh need."**

**Harry unfolded a second piece of paper he hadn't noticed the night before, and read:**

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY**

**UNIFORM**

**First-year students will require:**

**1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)**

**2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear**

**3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)**

**4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)**

**Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags**

"Hasnt changed much" James commented casually.

"Never does." Sirius nodded.

**COURSE BOOKS**

**All students should have a copy of each of the following:**

**The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)by Miranda Goshawk**

**A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot**

**Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling**

**A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch**

"Oh Mc G hasn't changed the books?"(Padfoot got a spill sent to him by Lily for the mc G.)

**One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore**

**Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger**

**Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander**

he grinned and was hit suddenly by a well-aimed silencing charm. He glared as his two friends smirked at him.

**The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble**

**OTHER EQUIPMENT**

**1 wand**

**1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)**

**1 set of glass or crystal phials**

**1 telescope set**

**1 brass scales**

**Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad**

**PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS**

"That rule sucks" James groaned but flinched when Lily raised her wand in a threatening motion.

"**Can we buy all this in London?" Harry wondered aloud.**

**"If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid.**

**Harry had never been to London before. Although Hagrid seemed to know where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground, and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow.**

**"I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," he said as they climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined with shops.**

**Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all Harry had to do was keep close behind him. They passed book shops and music stores, hamburger restaurants and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic wand. This was just an ordinary street full of ordinary people. Could there really be piles of wizard gold buried miles beneath them? Were there really shops that sold spell books and broomsticks?**

**Might this not all be some huge joke that the Dursleys had cooked up?**

"They've got no sense of humor for that." James said, shaking his head.

**If Harry hadn't known that the Dursleys had no sense of humor, he might have thought so; yet somehow, even though everything Hagrid had told him so far was unbelievable, Harry couldn't help trusting him.**

**"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."**

**It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, Harry wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Harry had the most peculiar feeling that only he and Hagrid could see it.**

**Before he could mention this, Hagrid had steered him inside.**

**For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him,**

"Yeah, You can't help but like Hagrid." Lily smiled.

**and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"**

**"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder and making Harry's knees buckle.**

**"Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at Harry, "is this — can this be —?"**

**The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.**

"That's a first" Remus commented.

"Well it's Harry Potter. Boy-who-lived." James said with a note of pride in his voice "my and flowers powerful awesome son!!"

Lily took his hand and squeezed it gently.

**"Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Harry Potter… what an honor."**

**He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Harry and seized his hand, tears in his eyes.**

**"Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back."**

**Harry didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at him. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming.**

**Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Harry found himself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.**

**"Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."**

**"So proud, Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud."**

**"Always wanted to shake your hand — I'm all of a flutter."**

"Looks like he got the attention you crave Prongs" Sirius grinned then blinked. "My voice!" he looked at Lily who was putting her wand away. "Thanks Lily-billy"

Her eyes narrowed so he decided to shut up.

**"Delighted, Mr. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."**

**"I've seen you before!" said Harry, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop."**

**"He remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? He remembers me!" Harry shook hands again and again — Doris Crockford kept coming back for more.**

James and Sirius laughed at this"I do belive Harry got someone to turn gay for him,with out meaning to."

**A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching.**

**"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."**

**"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."**

**"D-Defence Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it.**

"He doesn't seem a very good choice for a defence professor" Lily sighed, shaking her head.

**"N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought.**

**But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Harry to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble.**

**"Must get on — lots ter buy. Come on, Harry."**

**Doris Crockford shook Harry's hand one last time, and Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds.**

**Hagrid grinned at Harry.**

**"Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh — mind you, he's usually tremblin'."**

"What a great Defence teacher" Sirius said sarcastically.

**"Is he always that nervous?"**

**"Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand experience… They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag — never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject — now, where's me umbrella?"**

**"Then why on earth is he teaching?" Lily asked, frustrated. "They won't learn anything!"**

**Vampires? Hags? Harry's head was swimming. Hagrid, meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the trash can.**

**"Three up… two across…" he muttered. "Right, stand back, Harry."**

**He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella.**

**The brick he had touched quivered — it wriggled — in the middle, a small hole appeared — it grew wider and wider — a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.**

"DIAGON ALLEY!!" James and Sirius yelled, cheering.

"But it should be us taking him" Lily whispered and James frowned, putting his arm around her but Remus moved a little at this.

"Sorry you can get her when i am done reading." And Lily brasted up in Giggles.

**"Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley."**

**He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Harry looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall.**

**The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons — All Sizes — Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver — Self-Stirring — Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them.**

**"Yeah, you'll be needin' one," said Hagrid, "but we gotta get yer money first."**

**Harry wished he had about eight more eyes.**

"That's how I felt." Lily smiled. "It's a wonderful sight."

**He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, sixteen Sickles an ounce, they're mad…"**

**A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium — Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy. Several boys of about Harry's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. "Look," Harry heard one of them say, "the new Nimbus Two Thousand — fastest ever —"**

"prongs,Padfoot stop right there!" Before anyone they could do try to talk Harry into buying the broom.

**There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Harry had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon…**

**"Gringotts," said Hagrid.**

**They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was —**

**"Yeah, that's a goblin," said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white stone steps toward him. The goblin was about a head shorter than Harry. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Harry noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside.**

**Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them:**

_**Enter, stranger, but take heed**_

_**Of what awaits the sin of greed,**_

_**For those who take, but do not earn,**_

_**Must pay most dearly in their turn.**_

_**So if you seek beneath our floors**_

_**A treasure that was never yours,**_

_**Thief, you have been warned, beware**_

_**Of finding more than treasure there.**_

**"Like I said, Yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid.**

**A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid and Harry made for the counter.**

**"Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry Potter's safe."**

**"You have his key, sir?"**

**"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid, and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of moldy dog biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers.**

**"He won't like that!" James chuckled, grinning slightly.**

**The goblin wrinkled his nose. Harry watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowing coals.**

**"Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key.**

**The goblin looked at it closely.**

**"That seems to be in order."**

**"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."**

"Because that won't make Harry curious" Sirius said sarcastically.

"If he's anything like his parents anyway." Remus nodded.

"Hey!" Both offended teens cried.

**The goblin read the letter carefully.**

**"Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"**

**Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog biscuits back inside his pockets, he and Harry followed Griphook toward one of the doors leading off the hall.**

**"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked.**

"Oh he is like us James" Lily cried in pride.

**"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."**

**Griphook held the door open for them. Harry, who had expected more marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in — Hagrid with some difficulty — and were off.**

**At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Harry tried to remember, left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left, but it was impossible.**

"He can remember more than most people" Remus shrugged.

**The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Griphook wasn't steering.**

**Harry's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but he kept them wide open. Once, he thought he saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but too late**

**"He's really observant" James noted approvingly.**

— **they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.**

**"I never know," Harry called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart, "what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"**

**"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," said Hagrid. "An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick."**

**He did look very green, and when the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the wall to stop his knees from trembling.**

"Poor Hagrid" Lily said sympathetically.

**Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, Harry gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.**

**"All yours," smiled Hagrid.**

**All Harry's — it was incredible. The Dursleys couldn't have known about this or they'd have had it from him faster than blinking.**

**Everyone scowled at this reminder.**

**How often had they complained how much Harry cost them to keep? And all the time there had been a small fortune belonging to him, buried deep under London. Hagrid helped Harry pile some of it into a bag.**

**"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe for yeh." He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?"**

**"One speed only," said Griphook.**

**They were going even deeper now and gathering speed. The air became colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners. They went rattling over an underground ravine, and Harry leaned over the side to try to see what was down at the dark bottom, but Hagrid groaned and pulled him back by the scruff of his neck.**

Lily glared at James and he stared at her.

"That's something you would do!" She scowled.

"Yup,and i did!"

**Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole.**

**"Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away.**

**"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.**

**"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked.**

**"About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin.**

**Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault, Harry was sure, and he leaned forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels at the very least — but at first he thought it was empty. Then he noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor.**

**Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Harry longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask.**

**"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid.**

**One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Harry didn't know where to run first now that he had a bag full of money. He didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know that he was holding more money than he'd had in his whole life — more money than even Dudley had ever had.**

"Good" Padfoot,Prongs,and Mooney yelled together

**"Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous.**

**Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.**

**"Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when Harry started to speak. "Got the lot here — another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."**

**In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length.**

**"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"**

**"Yes," said Harry.**

**"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy.**

**He had a bored, drawling voice.**

Sirius narrowed his eyes slightly.

**"Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."**

**Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley.**

**"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on.**

**"No," said Harry.**

**"Play Quidditch at all?"**

**"No," Harry said again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.**

James and Sirius looked horrified.

"**I do — Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"**

**"No," said Harry, feeling more stupid by the minute.**

**"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been —**

**"Definitely Malfoy" James and Sirius chorused whilst the other two shook their heads.**

**imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"**

**"Mmm," said Harry, wishing he could say something a bit more interesting.**

**"I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing at two large ice creams to show he couldn't come in.**

**"That's Hagrid," said Harry, pleased to know something the boy didn't. "He works at Hogwarts."**

**"Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"**

"What a horrible boy!" Lily frowned.

**"He's the gamekeeper," said Harry. He was liking the boy less and less every second.**

**"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage — lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."**

**"I think he's brilliant," said Harry coldly.**

"Yeah you tell him pup!" Sirius grinned.

**"Do you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?"**

**"They're dead," said Harry shortly. He didn't feel much like going into the matter with this boy.**

**"Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all.**

**"But they were our kind, weren't they?"**

**"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."**

**"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?"**

**But before Harry could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dear," and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool.**

**"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the drawling boy.**

**Harry was rather quiet as he ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought him (chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts).**

"**What's up?" said Hagrid.**

**"Nothing," Harry lied.**

**They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Harry cheered up a bit when he found a bottle of ink that changed color as you wrote. When they had left the shop, he said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"**

"The best sport in the WORLD!" James cheered.

**"Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know — not knowin' about Quidditch!"**

**"Don't make me feel worse," said Harry. He told Hagrid about the pale boy in Madam Malkin's.**

**"— and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in —"**

**"Yer not from a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh were — he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh. Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles — look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!"**

**"Very good point" James nodded at Remus for saying this and Srirus smiled at him.**

**"So what is Quidditch?"**

**"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like — like soccer in the Muggle world — everyone follows Quidditch — played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls — sorta hard ter explain the rules."**

"No it's not!" James groaned.

**"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"**

**"School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but —"**

**"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff," said Harry gloomily.**

"Nah. You'll be in Gryffindor Like you mother,me and your godfathers." James grinned.

**"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."**

**"Vol-, sorry —You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?"**

**"Years an' years ago," said Hagrid.**

**They bought Harry's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these. Hagrid almost had to drag Harry away from Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian.**

**"I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley."**

Lily glared at James again.

He laughed slightly.

"Sorry Flower. But he would of deserved it."

"HE IS JUST LIKE YOU!!"

**"I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the Muggle world except in very special circumstances," said Hagrid. "An' anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter that level."**

**Hagrid wouldn't let Harry buy a solid gold cauldron, either ("It says pewter on yer list"), but they got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages.**

**Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry, Harry himself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop).**

**Outside the Apothecary, Hagrid checked Harry's list again.**

**"Just yer wand left — A yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present."**

**"That's so sweet of him!" Lily smiled.**

**Harry felt himself go red.**

**"You don't have to —"**

**"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at— an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'."**

"Owl's are great" Lily agreed, thinking of her own owl.

The others nodded.

**Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing.**

"Awww" Lily cooed and James and Sirius rolled their eyes.

**He couldn't stop stammering his thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell.**

**"Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivanders left now — only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand."**

**"I wonder what his wand will be best suited for? And what wand he'll get."**

**A magic wand… this was what Harry had been really looking forward to.**

**The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.**

**A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. Harry felt strangely as though he had entered a very strict library; he swallowed a lot of new questions that had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of his neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.**

"Very good senses" Sirius nodded. "Not a lot of eleven year old wizards could pick that up."

"I did." Lily Said and no one looked like they didn't belie her.

**"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Hagrid must have jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly off the spindly chair.**

**An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.**

**"Hello," said Harry awkwardly.**

**"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."**

Lily smiled and hold it up."He right you know."

**Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy.**

**"Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it —**

James nodded and he to pulled it out.

**it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."**

**Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.**

**"And that's where…"**

**Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger.**

"That's about 20 on the creep-o-meter witch only gose up to 10 by the way" Sirius chuckled.

**"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands… well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do…"**

**He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Hagrid.**

**"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again… Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"**

**"It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid.**

**"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr. Ollivander, suddenly stern.**

**"Er — yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though," he added brightly.**

**"But you don't use them?" said Mr. Ollivander sharply.**

"OH no not at all."Lily said sweetly and if you didnt know better you would have though she was telling the truth.

"**Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly. Harry noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke.**

**"Hmmm," said Mr. Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now — Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"**

**"Er — well, I'm right-handed," said Harry.**

**"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head.**

**"I never understood why it did that" Lily sighed, shaking her head.**

**As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."**

**Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own.**

**Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.**

**"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. just take it and give it a wave."**

**Harry took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.**

**"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try —"**

**Harry tried — but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.**

**"No, no — here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."**

**Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.**

**"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere — I wonder, now — yes, why not — unusual combination — holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."**

**Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers.**

**He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls.**

James smiled. "Mine rain lions."

Lily laughed "mine did the same as Harry's."

**Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well… how curious… how very curious…"**

**He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious… curious…"**

"What's curious?" Lily asked

**"Sorry," said Harry, "but what's curious?"**

"Oh his mother is coming out in him that it is."

**Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare.**

**"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather — just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother — why, its brother gave you that scar."**

The whole room was silent at this, slightly stunned.

**Harry swallowed.**

**"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember… I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter… After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great."**

**Harry shivered. He wasn't sure he liked Mr. Ollivander too much. He paid seven gold Galleons for his wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop.**

**The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, now empty. Harry didn't speak at all as they walked down the road; he didn't even notice how much people were gawking at them on the Underground, laden as they were with all their funny-shaped packages, with the snowy owl asleep in its cage on Harry's lap.**

**Up another escalator, out into Paddington station; Harry only realized where they were when Hagrid tapped him on the shoulder.**

**"Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves," he said.**

**He bought Harry a hamburger and they sat down on plastic seats to eat them. Harry kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow.**

"Because you've visited your first magical related place! Everything that was 'normal' to you feel strange." Remus explained.

**"You all right, Harry? Yer very quiet," said Hagrid.**

**Harry wasn't sure he could explain. He'd just had the best birthday of his life — and yet — he chewed his hamburger, trying to find the words.**

**"Everyone thinks I'm special," he said at last.**

"You are,you have the most special girl as your mother " James said and Lily blushed

**"All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander… but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol-, sorry — I mean, the night my parents died."**

**Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he wore a very kind smile.**

**"Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. Just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts — I did — still do, 'smatter of fact."**

**Hagrid helped Harry on to the train that would take him back to the Dursleys, then handed him an envelope.**

**"Yer ticket fer Hogwarts, " he said. "First o' September — King's Cross — it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me…. See yeh soon, Harry."**

**The train pulled out of the station. Harry wanted to watch Hagrid until he was out of sight; he rose in his seat and pressed his nose against the window, but he blinked and Hagrid had gone.**

"That's it!"


	6. Chapter 6

_kiers:Your the only one that rewived so far so here you YOU!!!*give Kiers a hug.* _

**Chapter 6 no going most be come a auilt.**

"It's getting late,so this is the last chapter than bed k?"Lily said as she took the book.

**Chapter 6: The Journey from Platform Nine and Three Quarters**

a smile was

**Harry's last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun**

"Not that he ever had much fun anyway" James muttered.

**True, Dudley was now so scared of Harry he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Harry in his cupboard, force him to do anything, or shout at him — in fact, they didn't speak to him at all.**

"That's an improvement" James nodded.

"Gets a bit depressing though." Sirius frowned

**Half terrified, half furious, they acted as though any chair with Harry in it were empty. Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did become a bit depressing after a while.**

Sirius and Lily nodded in agreement.

**Harry kept to his room, with his new owl for company. He had decided to call her Hedwig, a name he had found in A History of Magic.**

"Hey,that Lily coming out in him."James shouted at the looks Padfoot and Moony gave him.

**His school books were very interesting.**

Lily looked slightly hopeful at that.

**He lay on his bed reading late into the night, Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased. It was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to vacuum anymore, because Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice.**

"AWW" Flower cried.

**Every night before he went to sleep, Harry ticked off another day on the piece of paper he had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first.**

"I used to do that at Grimmauld Place" Sirius said quietly

Lily smiled at him.

**On the last day of August he thought he'd better speak to his aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day, so he went down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on television. He cleared his throat to let them know he was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room.**

They all laughed at that.

**"Er — Uncle Vernon?"**

**Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.**

**"Er — I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to — to go to Hogwarts."**

**Uncle Vernon grunted again.**

**"Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?"**

**Grunt. Harry supposed that meant yes.**

**"Thank you."**

"At least he's polite" Lily nodded.

**He was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.**

**"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"**

**Harry didn't say anything.**

**"Where is this school, anyway?"**

**"I don't know," said Harry, realizing this for the first time. He pulled the ticket Hagrid had given him out of his pocket.**

**"I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock," he read.**

**His aunt and uncle stared.**

**"Platform what?"**

**"Nine and three-quarters."**

**"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters."**

"Petunia KNOWS there's a platform nine and three-quarters. She's been forced to come and see me off!" Lily cried.

**"It's on my ticket."**

**"Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother."**

**"Why are you going to London?" Harry asked, trying to keep things friendly.**

**"Taking Dudley to the hospital," growled Uncle Vernon. "Got to have that ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smeltings."**

"Aaww but it looks so good on him."Sirius grinned vindictively.

**Harry woke at five o'clock the next morning and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep.**

"Awww" Lily cooed. "That was exactly how I felt" she smiled.

**He got up and pulled on his jeans because he didn't want to walk into the station in his wizard's robes —**

**he'd change on the train. He checked his Hogwarts list yet again to make sure he had everything he needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her cage, and then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to get up.**

**Two hours later, Harry's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the Dursleys' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to Harry, and they had set off.**

**They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Harry's trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for him.**

**Harry thought this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face.**

**"Well, there you are, boy. Platform nine — platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"**

**He was quite right, of course. There was a big plastic number nine over one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all.**

**"Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. He left without another word. Harry turned and saw the Dursleys drive away. All three of them were laughing.**

"Oh, I think this is just in time for another meeting with my lovely sis befour we live." Lily gave an evil smile at this.

**Harry's mouth went rather dry. What on earth was he going to do? He was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig. He'd have to ask someone. He stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters.**

**The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Harry couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though Harry was being stupid on purpose. Getting desperate, Harry asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but the guard said there wasn't one.**

**In the end the guard strode away, muttering about time wasters. Harry was now trying hard not to panic. According to the large clock over the arrivals board, he had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and he had no idea how to do it; he was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk he could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and a large owl.**

"I hope he finds help" Lily frowned.

**Hagrid must have forgotten to tell him something you had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. He wondered if he should get out his wand and start tapping the ticket inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten.** **At that moment a group of people passed just behind him and he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

**"— packed with Muggles, of course —"**

**Harry swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair.**

"Sounds like Weasley's" James noted.

**Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry's in front of him — and they had an owl.**

**Heart hammering, Harry pushed his cart after them. They stopped and so did he, just near enough to hear what they were saying.**

**"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.**

**"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mom, can't I go…"**

"How sweet" Lily smiled.

**"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."**

**What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten.**

**Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it — but just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished.**

**"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.**

**"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"**

James and Sirius laughed "Twins!" They grinned.

"I hope-" James began

"-They're pranksters" Sirius finished.

**Sorry, George, dear."**

**"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone — but how had he done it? Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there — and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.**

**There was nothing else for it.**

**"Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman.**

**"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."**

**She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.**

**"Yes," said Harry. "The thing is — the thing is, I don't know how to —"**

**"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and Harry nodded.**

**"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."**

"I like her" Lily smiled, anyone who was kind to her son made it into her good books straight away.

"I dont." Sirius said.

**"Er — okay," said Harry.**

**He pushed his trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid.**

**He started to walk toward it. People jostled him on their way to platforms nine and ten. Harry walked more quickly. He was going to smash right into that barrier and then he'd be in trouble — leaning forward on his cart, he broke into a heavy run — the barrier was coming nearer and nearer — he wouldn't be able to stop — the cart was out of control — he was a foot away — he closed his eyes ready for the crash — It didn't come… he kept on running… he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people.**

All four teens cheered happily, beaming.

**A sign overhead said Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock. Harry looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it, He had done it.**

**Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.**

**The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. He passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."**

**"Oh, Neville," he heard the old woman sigh.**

**A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.**

**"Give us a look, Lee, go on."**

**The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.**

"Wow cool."Went the boy's.

**Harry pressed on through the crowd until he found an empty compartment near the end of the train. He put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove and heave his trunk toward the train door. He tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot.**

All four winced, having experienced that at least once.

**"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier.**

"That's nice of him" Lily nodded approvingly.

**"Yes, please," Harry panted.**

**"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"**

**With the twins' help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.**

**"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.**

**"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.**

**"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you —?"**

**"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.**

**"What?" said Harry.**

**"Harry Potter." chorused the twins.**

**"Oh, him," said Harry.**

They all laughed slightly at that.

**"I mean, yes, I am."**

**The two boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red. Then, to his relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.**

**"Fred? George? Are you there?"**

**"Coming, Mom."**

**With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.**

**Harry sat down next to the window where, half hidden, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying.**

"You shouldn't eavesdrop Harry" Lily scolded and no one deared to tell her she was talking to a book.

**Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.**

**"Ron, you've got something on your nose."**

**The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.**

**"Mom— geroff" He wriggled free.**

**"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.**

**"Shut up," said Ron.**

**"Where's Percy?" said their mother.**

**"He's coming now."**

**The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a red and gold badge on his chest with the letter P on it.**

"Prefect" Sirius groaned and Lily and Remus glared at him.

**"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves —"**

**"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."**

**"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once —"**

**"Or twice —"**

**"A minute —"**

**"All summer —"**

James,Sirius,and Remus grinned widely.

**"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.**

**"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.**

**"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term — send me an owl when you get there."**

**She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.**

**"Now, you two — this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've — you've blown up a toilet or —"**

"She probably shouldn't of said that" James laughed.

**"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."**

**"Great idea though, thanks, Mum."**

**"It's not funny. And look after Ron."**

**"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."**

**"Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.**

**"Hey, Mum, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"**

**Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't see him looking.**

**"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?"**

**"Who?"**

**"Harry Potter!"**

**Harry heard the little girl's voice.**

**"Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see him, Mum, oh please…"**

James and Sirius sniggered and Lily smiled.

**"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"**

**"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there — like lightning."**

**"Poor dear — no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform."**

**"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"**

**Their mother suddenly became very stern.**

**"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."**

"I really like this woman" Lily said quietly and softly.

"You would."Padfoot said and pain shut though him.

"All right, keep your hair on."

**A whistle sounded.**

**"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.**

**"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."**

**"We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat."**

**"I wonder if they did" James laughed.**

**"George!"**

**"Only joking, Mum."**

**The train began to move. Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved.**

**Harry watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement. He didn't know what he was going to — but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind.**

"It is" Sirius said and they all nodded in agreement.

**The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in.**

**"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry. "Everywhere else is full."**

"Maybe he'll make a friend" Lily said eagerly.

**Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry saw he still had a black mark on his nose.**

**"Hey, Ron."**

**The twins were back.**

**"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train — Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."**

**"Right," mumbled Ron.**

**"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley,** **and this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."**

**"Bye," said Harry and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.**

**"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.**

**Harry nodded.**

**"Oh — well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got — you know…"**

**He pointed at Harry's forehead.**

**Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.**

**"So that's where You-Know-Who —?"**

**"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."**

**"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.**

"Didn't his mother tell him not to ask?" Lily muttered, annoyed.

no one said anything.

**"Well — I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."**

**"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.**

**"Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found him.**

**"Er — Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."**

**"So you must know loads of magic already."**

**The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.**

**"Yeah but the Weasley's are much better than the Malfoys and other families like it." Remus nodded.**

**"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"**

**"Horrible — well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."**

**"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy.**

"Seven kids? Merlin,my mom can headly keep up with me and my twin." James muttered as he and Sirius put there arms around eath other.

**"I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left — Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch.**

"**Awesome" James grinned then looked thoughtful. "I wonder if Harry gets on the Quidditch team"**

**"Well we won't find out in this book" Remus sighed, annoyed.**

**Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."**

**Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.**

**"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff — I mean, I got Scabbers instead."**

**Ron's ears went pink.**

**He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.**

**Harry didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, he'd never had any money in his life until a month ago, and he told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up.**

**"… and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort —"**

**Ron gasped.**

**"What?" said Harry.**

**"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people —"**

**"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn… I bet," he added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."**

"You won't be" Lily soothed.

**"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough."**

**While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.**

**Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"**

**Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor.**

**He had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many Mars Bars**

"What are Mars bars?" James and Sirius asked, confused. Remus who loved all things chocolate answered.

"It's a muggle Chocolate bar" he replied.

**as he could carry — but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.**

**Ron stared as Harry brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.**

"He better share it" Lily frowned.

**"Hungry, are you?"**

**"Starving," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.**

**Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef…"**

**"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on —"**

Lily smiled approvingly.

**"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."**

**"Go on, have a pasty," said Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).**

**"What are these?" Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs.**

**"They're not really frogs, are they?" He was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him.**

**"No," said Ron. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."**

**"What?"**

**"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know — Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect — famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."**

**Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and moustache.**

**"Dumbledore" James said cheerfully**

**Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.**

**"So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry.**

**"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa — thanks —"**

**Harry turned over his card and read:**

**ALBUS DUMBLEDORE**

**CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS**

**Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.**

**Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.**

**"He's gone!"**

**"You can't expect him to hang around all day" Sirius scoffed.**

**"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron.**

**"…Well that was weird" He muttered.**

**"He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her… do you want it? You can start collecting."**

**Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped. "Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."**

Eveyone look at Lily and Remus.

**"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!"**

**Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep his eyes off them. Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. He finally tore his eyes away from the Druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.**

**Remus pulled a face at that and James and Sirius laughed. Lily looked over curiously before shaking her head and continuing to read.**

**"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Harry. "When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor — you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a bogey-flavoured one once."**

**Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner.**

**"Bleaaargh — see? Sprouts."**

**Every Flavor Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper.**

"He has his fathers luck."

**The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.**

**There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Harry had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked tearful.**

**"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"**

**When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"**

**"He'll turn up," said Harry.**

"That was nice of him" Lily beamed.

"**Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him…"**

**He left.**

**"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."**

**The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.**

**"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look…"**

**"Probably wasn't a real spell then"**

**He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.**

**"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway —"**

"That's not good" Lily frowned.

**"Plus he said it was his brother's wand. It won't work as well for him" James frowned.**

**He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.**

**"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.**

"I LOVE THIS AUTHOR!!!"

**"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.**

**"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."**

**She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.**

"Pushy" Sirius muttered.

**"Er — all right."**

**He cleared his throat.**

**"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."**

**He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.**

**"Of course it's not real"**

**"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it?**

**I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard — I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough — I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"**

"She learned the books by HEART?" Sirius choked. "Even Remus didn't do that."

Said werewolf rolled his eyes.

**She said all this very fast.**

**Harry looked at Ron, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned all the course books by heart either.**

**"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.**

**"Harry Potter," said Harry.**

**"Are you really?" said Hermione.**

"Even muggle borns know him" Sirius smiled.

**"I know all about you, of course — I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."**

**"…That would explain it"**

**"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed.**

**"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad… Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."**

**And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.**

**"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron.**

**He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell — George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."**

**"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry.**

**"Gryffindor,"**

"The best house" Sirius and James grinned.

**said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mum and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."**

**"They won't"**

**"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"**

**"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.**

**"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Harry, trying to take Ron's mind off houses.**

"He's so sweet,unlike this father" Lily smiled.

**"So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"**

**Harry was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school.**

**"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons,**

"AWESOMMMME" Sirius bellowed and Lily scowled.

**and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron.**

**"Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles — someone tried to rob a high security vault."**

"No way" James gasped.

"Someone tried to rob Gringotts?" Lily frowned.

"They would've been caught though" Sirius said slowly.

**Harry stared.**

**"Really? What happened to them?"**

**"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught.**

"Wow" All four teens said in shock.

**My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."**

**Harry turned this news over in his mind. He was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.**

**"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.**

**"Er — I don't know any." Harry confessed.**

James looked slightly depressed.

**"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world —" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just taking Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time.**

"Thank god" Sirius muttered

**Three boys entered, and Harry recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop.**

"I think I preferred Granger,than that git" Sirius grimaced.

**He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.**

"Of course he is" James scowled.

**"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"**

**"Yes," said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.**

**"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."**

"Knew it" Sirius nodded.

**Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.**

**"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."**

Everyone looked outraged.

"The Weasley's are better than you'll ever be!" Sirius snarled.

**He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."**

**He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.**

"Good boy" James nodded.

**"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly.**

"You tell him Harry" Lily smirked.

**Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.**

**"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents.**

"JUST TRY IT!!"

**They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."**

**Both Harry and Ron stood up.**

**"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.**

**"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.**

**"Unless you get out now," said Harry, more bravely than he felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than him or Ron.**

**"True Gryffindor courage" James said solemnly, though he was still peeved about what Malfoy said.**

**"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."**

**Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron — Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.**

**Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle — Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once.**

**Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.**

"Of course she did" Sirius sighed.

"Didn't you just say you preferred over Malfoy?"

**"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.**

**"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No — I don't believe it — he's gone back to sleep."**

**And so he had.**

**"You've met Malfoy before?"**

**Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.**

**"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side."**

**He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"**

**"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"**

**"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"**

**"All right — I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice.**

**"And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"**

**Ron glared at her as she left. Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.**

**He and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them.**

**A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."**

**Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles.**

**"Don't be nervous, Hogwarts is GREAT" Sirius sang and the others nodded in agreement.**

**They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.**

**The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"**

**Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.**

**"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"**

**Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.**

**"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."**

**There was a loud "Oooooh!"**

"It is beautiful" Lily smiled.

**The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.**

**"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione.**

"Oh great" James and Sirius sighed.

**"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!"**

**And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.**

**"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.**

**"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.**

**"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.**

**They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.**

**"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"**

**"What's the deal with that toad?" Sirius asked, annoyed.**

**Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.**

"That the end." Now sleep."Lily said as she walked in to her room.

!


	7. Chapter 7

_**my mom just dead of canncer so updates may be slow as you can tell she was sick for a long time thank you for the faw reviwes and i hope we see where this story gose..**_

_**But yeah i give you a shot update and i try to update aging as soon as i can..with my mom passing away and college it may be a bit before i can update aging but when i do i hope i can make it longer and you would enjoy it more. I'll try to not be away for to long at a time..Plus i am now kinda homeless so i wont be on a lot of the time..thank you for understanding and have an awesome day! DFTBA**_


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